What is iPhone DFU mode and how to use iPhone DFU mode

What is iPhone DFU mode and how to use iPhone DFU mode

“What is iPhone DFU mode and how to use iPhone DFU mode” -DFU is the acronym for Device Firmware Update , or a particular iPhone mode dedicated to the forced upgrade of the operating system . This is a kind of “emergency” method to use when we want to reset our smartphone from scratch .

First of all: Backup Your iPhone

If for one reason or another you need to put your iPhone in DFU , know that the procedure is extremely simple. Before proceeding however, we advise you to back up your phone because if you want to put an iPhone in this mode, you probably are going to reset it, so your unsaved data will be lost forever .

If you have never backed up your iPhone, here are the simple steps to follow:

Open iTunes and in the top left, press File, then Devices, and then Transfer Purchases from iPhone

Wait for the end of the procedure and then from the menu on the left, click on the icon on your iPhone and then on the Summary item

At this point, you just have to press Back up now and select iPhone Backup Encoding

After completing this procedure you are ready to put your iPhone into DFU .

How to restart the iPhone in DFU mode

Well, let’s go live with the real steps to follow to start the iPhone in the Device Firmware Update mode . First, you’ll need to turn off the Find my iCloud feature, as this blocks any reset procedure.

To do this, open the Settings and then click on the user name (or directly on iCloud in iOS 10.2 or earlier) and turn off Find my device .

Then connect your smartphone to your computer, where iTunes needs to be installed and configured (see previous paragraph). The iPhone must stay connected to the computer for the entire duration of the process.

Now make sure to turn it off by holding down the Lock key (the one at the top right or the right edge) and activating the “Scroll to turn” option. Once you have waited for the iPhone to turn off completely, you can proceed with the next step, which varies from one model to another .

For the next steps you have to keep both the Lock key and another button as reference . For previous models (iPhone 6, 5 …) you will have to use the Home button , in the newer models, where the home key is not physical, you have to keep your finger ready to press the button Volume Down ( the one to lower the volume).

Now that you have located the key you need, hold down the Lock for about three seconds , then press and hold the Home button or Down Volume (depending on your iPhone model). Take about ten seconds to push both buttons , then release only the lock switch by holding the pressure on the other for another eight seconds.

If an alert appears on iTunes where an iPhone is detected in recovery mode and the iPhone display is off, you have successfully entered DFU mode . If not, turn off the iPhone and repeat the procedure.

How to exit DFU mode and turn off the iPhone

If you are able to enter DFU but you are not going to complete the restore procedure (maybe you forgot to back up) do not worry, turning off the phone in this mode is very easy. Just press and hold the power button and the Home button , for iPhone 6 and previous, or Volume down on iPhone 7 and later. After about twenty seconds, the normal ignition logo appears on the screen.

Reset iPhone to DFU

Once you put the iPhone in DFU, there are two things you can do: turn off the phone , using the procedure outlined in the previous paragraph, or continue with recovery , that is, total reset and reinstalling the operating system.

To do this, you might have guessed it, just follow the on-screen instructions on your computer; Press Reset iPhone, and then click Restore or Restore and Update. After these simple steps get comfortable, iTunes will download iOS and reinstall it.